


Something to Prove

by Yolashillinia



Category: Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Romance, sherlock cameo for some reason, what even is this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-06
Updated: 2020-10-07
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:21:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26861314
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yolashillinia/pseuds/Yolashillinia
Summary: A dumb little Sith Warrior/Quinn modern Earth AU fic I wrote for funzies. Written 2017.
Relationships: Malavai Quinn/Female Sith Warrior
Kudos: 6





	1. Pursuit

The first time he saw her was at a function sponsored by RVGR. He walked around the fringes of the gathering, as was appropriate for Mr. Baras’s head of security to do, watching the corporate bigwigs chattering to each other, negotiating alliances and deals. Some of the wives were clustered around the hors d’ouevres, and the younger people had mostly gravitated to the bar and the dance floor, gyrating to the sort of throbbing bass-heavy music that always gave him a headache, but…

He almost missed her at first, standing in a group of older men in an elegantly simple grey dress, and yet she was clearly not there to be decorative. Her young face was fixed with cool but rapt attention on the other people in her group, and not as a protegé, but as a full participant. She looked rather familiar, and seeing where she stood in the group, she was probably the daughter of Anotin Volkov of Kuatech, the Russian information giant based out of London. The competitors of RVGR, but of course they’d be here tonight. He’d probably seen her in a magazine. A few young men hovered near her, more interested in her than the discussion she was part of; she paid them no attention.

She clearly was supposed to be there, so he turned his attention away from her to continue his sweep. Yet he couldn’t help looking back at her a few minutes later, she was so striking, and found that now she was staring in his direction. When their eyes met, she raised an elegant eyebrow, and he felt his neck grow uncomfortably warm. She wasn’t supposed to look at him. He was security; background; invisible.

The group she had been part of split up, and oh God, she was coming over to him, still completely ignoring her admirers. Why?

“That was disappointing,” she said conversationally to him as she reached speaking distance, as if they were old friends, though he’d never spoken to her in his life. “He didn’t take the deal.” She shrugged as if it were unimportant. “He’ll regret that.”

“What can I do for you, Miss Volkova?” he asked politely. She was even more striking up close; actually, she was incredibly beautiful. Her skin was tanned, but her hair was such a pale platinum blonde it was almost white. And now he could see her eyes, they were unusually light as well, a bright amber that was almost gold, sparkling under the shadow of a heavy smoky eye. She was somewhat short, and dainty-looking in build, and yet her self-assurance spoke to a great deal of inner strength.

“You could start with your name,” she said, saucily. Oh God, she was – why was she flirting with security? Shouldn’t she be…

“Should you not be associating with your peers?” he asked gently, gesturing over at the refreshments and the horrid dance floor.

She snorted rudely, looking in that direction with disdain. “Dull as dishwater, all of them. No interest in their future, only their possessions and petty dramas, half-intelligent slobs. I wouldn’t kick one or two of them out of my bed, but first they’d have to get there and I highly doubt they’re capable of it.” She looked back towards him. “You’re much more interesting. And good-looking. Name, please.”

He found himself flushing at the blunt compliment, but he’d be a fool to disobey such a direct order, even if it didn’t come from Mr. Baras. “Malavai Quinn, head of security for RVGR.”

She gave him a look of approval. “Good man. An unusual name. You seem very diligent.”

He said nothing. He didn’t want to encourage her. He wasn’t supposed to be talking to her.

She stared at him for a while, then looked out at the floor of businessmen. “Ah, Papa’s found another one.” She gave him a little smirk. “I’m sure we’ll speak again, Mr. Quinn.”

“Miss Volkova.” He bowed.

Wikipedia filled him later in on what he didn’t already know. Akuliina Volkova. Daughter of Anotin Volkov, CEO of Kuatech. Heiress to millions. A board member of Kuatech and developer of her own system within the company – not to mention a line of cosmetics, because why not. A lot of speeding tickets, but no crashes; apparently she owned a golden Porsche. Trilingual in Russian, English, and Italian; her favourite drinks were Italian white wines and chai tea. Constantly changing boyfriends, and he wondered how worried he should be that she’d even approached him. She was very beautiful and very commanding, his ideal type of woman, even if she was rather young for him, and she could be very distracting if he let her.

RVGR and Kuatech were direct competitors. It wasn’t like he would see her everywhere.

And then he began to see her everywhere.

Direct competitors RVGR and Kuatech might be, but they still engaged in business talks frequently, and with her new personal interest in… one of RVGR’s assets, it was no great feat to convince her father to appoint her Kuatech’s chief diplomat with RVGR. Oh, she did her homework, negotiated ruthlessly with Mr. Baras or his representative, advanced her father’s interests to the very best of her ability. It wasn’t easy; Mr. Baras was very powerful, maybe even more powerful than her father, and clever, if irritatingly bombastic and somewhat inclined to think her less than she was, even if he tried to hide it.

But it was all worth it when she caught sight of tall, pale, and handsome in the hallway. And she was leaving her meeting and had nothing scheduled immediately, so she could take her time with him – if he didn’t find an excuse to slip away. He was a shy one.

“Captain!” she called, and watched him stiffen as he turned to her with alarm in those intelligent dark blue eyes. She laughed airily. “It’s incredible what Google will turn up, isn’t it? Former Captain in the British army, wasn’t it? Served in Afghanistan, decorated for bravery, singlehandedly rescued one Major Ovech and his men from a surprise attack, and tracked down a spy within your division. And finally, departed due to a personality conflict with your general?”

“What can I do for you, Miss Volkova?” he asked, but the tension was still there in his shoulders, his arms.

“How much of it is true?” She gave him an innocently curious look.

“…Technically it is all true.”

“You don’t wish to brag, do you? And now you’re head of security here. How do you like the change?”

He took a moment to answer, clearly very confused by her persistence. “It certainly pays better, ma’am. I do miss aspects of the army, and that I had to leave as soon as I did, but I don’t regret the move.”

“Mr. Baras takes care of his employees, doesn’t he?”

He nodded gravely. “I owe him much. Miss Volkova, I’m afraid I don’t have time to chat.”

She affected a forlorn sigh, but gave him a smirk through it anyway. “I’m sure I’ll see you around, Quinn.” Almost a given, considering how she was low-key stalking him.

He bowed rather awkwardly and stood aside to let her continue down the hall towards the elevators.

Another day, another party, Akuliina thought as she disembarked from her car, heels tapping decisively on the pavement. Shareholders to lean on, alliances to make, dates to set up. Among which, she hoped to see Quinn again. Business first, then pleasure.

She did catch sight of him over the course of the evening, but he seemed determined to avoid her. He was on to her, was he? She liked a challenge. She was a hunter and he was her prey. Although, if he capitulated and allowed her to speak with him, that wouldn’t abate her pursuit in the slightest.

It took half the night, but eventually she cornered him in a less-populated part of the ballroom – a proper ballroom, this was a properly classy event. “Quinn.”

“Miss Volkova.” To her mild surprise, he stopped looking for an escape route and stepped toward her. He took her hand and raised it to his lips – his firm, full lips – like a gentleman.

She smiled at him approvingly, eyes sparkling like the wine she held in her other hand. “So you’ve finally decided to stop running, have you?”

“You’re very persistent, Miss Volkova. I must only ask, are you sure you wish to continue this association? I assure you, I’m very boring, truly.”

He was interested in her as she was in him, she could tell. “I’m quite certain you’re incorrect.”

“I’m not in any way connected with your company.”

“That fact has nothing to do with anything, Captain.”

“Please don’t call me Captain. It’s not proper; I’m retired.”

“As a nickname, though, it suits you fine.”

He was frowning slightly, uncomfortable, and she was enjoying it. “Miss Volkova, it’s not right. Someone of your stature spending time with me is sure to invite scrutiny and gossip.”

She chuckled at him. “Scandalous. Come now, Quinn. I bark and I bite, but I’m not looking for trouble for you.” When he still looked unconvinced, she added, with as much genuine feeling as she’d ever showed to anyone: “I like you. At least speak with me.”

He bowed his head, but there was a slight smile on his lips. “Very well. I’ll bow to your wishes.”

She grinned at him, possibly far too excited about this. _Easy there, girl. Don’t give away too much_. “Fabulous. If things get too dull here, I’m at least assured of good company.” She offered her hand again. “I’ll be back, undoubtedly. Carry on.”

He kissed her hand again. Who did that these days? Malavai Quinn, apparently. She loved it. “Take care, Miss Volkova.”


	2. Something to Prove

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so I don’t actually know anything about British law so I left out all the action parts because the important part is the drama anyway.
> 
> Earth!Akuliina acts quite different under this sort of physical pressure than Space!Akuliina because even when S!Akuliina (temporarily) loses the Force, she’s still been trained as a warrior. Earth!Akuliina might have great self-defense classes, but she’s never actually had to fight. Also Space!Quinn still wouldn’t yell at Akuliina the way Earth!Quinn does, even after they’re married. This is the sort of thing I find interesting for some reason. : P

She was tied to a chair in a garbage-littered concrete basement storeroom while half a dozen rough-looking men leered at her and for the first time in her life, she felt real fear crawling in the pit of her stomach. Some of them carried darkening bruises of her handiwork, she hadn’t been completely defenseless, but there had been too many for her to escape from. She should have listened to Quinn this time…

But still she snarled at them with bared teeth, because she would rather die than _show_ fear. They laughed in her face and dirty hands reached out towards her.

The door slammed in with a colossal bang. “No one move!” shouted a familiar voice.

It was hours later that they were released from police questioning. He walked with her to his car – her car was at her home, she’d said she’d come on public transport to remain less conspicuous, not that it had helped truly – and held the door for her. She silently got into the front passenger’s seat, her jacket wrapped tightly around her. He closed it on her and stepped around to the driver’s side.

Their drive was a silent one for the first five minutes. She was lost in her own thoughts, and he was caught up in his, and he didn’t want to disturb her.

What an evening. He’d just been out having a drink after work, when she’d appeared in the same bar, seemingly by chance. Women that attractive, in those well-made fashionable clothes, didn’t just show up at seedy bars in the area where he lived. It was most definitely not by chance.

“What were you thinking? Why were you there alone? Why didn’t you go home when I told you to?” he asked, not bothering to hide the irritation in his voice. “I told you it was a rough part of town. Why did you stay?”

Her shoulders hunched defensively, her normally proud bearing completely shattered. “I know…! I can take care of myself… just not against six at once…!”

“That’s why I wanted you to go home immediately! You could have gotten hurt, or killed! You’re lucky I was still close enough to hear you scream.” And that had been twenty minutes after he told her to go home. What had she been doing? Stalking him?

“I know!”

He’d gotten close enough to see what was going on through a window, called the police, but the thugs had been moving on her before the police were even close to arriving. He’d had to send one of them to the hospital with a bullet in his leg.

“And what were you trying to do afterwards?” She’d been furious when she was released from her bonds, launching herself towards the men while screaming profanities in Russian; the police had had to hold her back as well as her captors. Adrenaline had no doubt been lancing through her veins, her untrained fight or flight instinct still burning hot after her ordeal, but it still betrayed a lack of control that surprised him in her. “I understand you were angry, but they had it in hand! You could have gotten hurt there, too!”

“I know! Just – shut up!” Her voice sounded thick and quivery, and he glanced over at her. Her face was steadfastly turned away from him, and it was dark, he couldn’t even see her face in the reflection of the window, but he was pretty sure she had begun to cry. Iron-willed Miss Volkova was done.

“I’m sorry,” he said finally, and reached over to open the glove compartment to get the tissues. “Here.” Maybe his own self-control was lacking tonight. She wasn’t a soldier under his command. He shouldn’t have raised his voice to her.

She took them without comment, scrubbing at her running eyeliner.

They drove in silence again for a while, before she said very softly: “Don’t take me home yet.”

He glanced at her, but she wasn’t looking at him again. “No?” He would have thought she would want to be home as soon as possible. “Your parents will be worried. They’ll want to know you’re safe.” Surely they’d been informed of developments. As far as he knew, she hadn’t even texted them.

“I…” She huffed, a self-frustrated noise. “I have a great deal of autonomy. I’m expected to take responsibility for my own life, my… mistakes. I will speak to them. Just… not yet.”

He nodded and made a left turn, away from the swank neighbourhood she lived in.

He felt for her. Maybe he shouldn’t have; she was rich and powerful and arrogant and spoiled, she had a myriad of advantages over most other people, and he sometimes wondered how much she bothered to appreciate it. But he liked her – a great deal. Regardless of their respective ties to anything else, she didn’t deserve what had happened, what had almost happened, and he hated how she huddled small and vulnerable in the passenger’s seat now, makeup-stained tissues crumpled in small hands that lay motionless in her lap. What could he do to make this better?

He pulled into a coffee shop parking lot. “I’ll be right back.” She didn’t respond.

It only took him a minute to return with tea – chai for her, Earl Grey for him. She’d cleaned up her face while he was gone, and it was difficult to tell she’d cried at all. There were red marks on her wrists still, he saw as she took the paper cup from him, and he swallowed a shudder of anger at her abductors. Her fingers were cold as they brushed his, and he wanted to kneel down there and fold them between the warm cup and his hands, warm them up faster. But he didn’t. What would he say? It would only be awkward.

He got back in his own side of the car and kept driving.

She seemed to relax under the influence of the tea, her shoulders no longer hunched around her ears, her elbows no longer clamped to her sides. She stared straight ahead instead of away through the side window.

“You might not believe me, but the truth of the matter was… is… I’m lonely.” Her voice was soft as the whisper of leaves. She might have been less tense, but she was still vulnerable. It was not as it should be, and yet… he seized on the opportunity to understand better.

“Beg your pardon?”

“Why I’ve been seeking you out. Why I didn’t go back.”

He thought for a while about that one, making a right turn into the parking lot of a public park. It was inadequately lit even for its small size, but he thought darkness might give her some privacy if her self-control failed again. Though this time it wouldn’t be because of his ill judgement.

It _was_ difficult to believe. She was constantly surrounded by people, people she had previously informed him she had some attachment for: she was rather close to her parents, and her maid Vette, and the tabloids frequently mentioned her name in the same breath as Jaesa Willsaam. Even if the other people in her life and work were nothing to her, even if she dropped boyfriends like hot potatoes – and it was obvious she had severe trust issues, if you read between certain lines – she _had_ friends.

And yet, not many friends. Too, it was a popular belief that rich and powerful people were lonely. Perhaps it was true. In which case… he was sorry for her. And somewhat flattered she wanted to reach out to _him_.

“Why me?” _And don’t say it’s about my looks_.

“You’re fascinating,” she said, speaking slowly, unwilling or unable to allow herself to truly express her thoughts, even in the dusk. He figured she was still shaken up inside, that she would be guarding herself extra-carefully after the events earlier. But it was important for him to know.

And she knew it. “You keep so much to yourself. So serious, so stoic… but what little you show is so… enticing. Your manners. Your patience. Your… kindness.” It sounded almost rehearsed, that she’d prepared the list in case he ever asked. She muttered even more quietly: “And I like when you gloat.”

He blinked at her in confusion. What an odd point of attraction. Did she mean when he allowed himself to openly express confidence instead of impassiveness? Confidence was sexy, after all. It was one reason _he_ was attracted to _her_. Though she also found it endlessly amusing to fluster him as well.

“Kindness?” he asked. Had he ever actually truly shown kindness to her? Surely she didn’t mean just in speaking with her whenever they ran into each other, did she? That seemed far too self-deprecating for her. Speaking with Miss Volkova was a privilege. The tea, maybe?

Her gaze shifted back to the side. “You didn’t have to come for me tonight. It wasn’t any of your business. But you risked your life for me, you told the police you broke in early so they wouldn’t… touch me.”

“I would never leave anyone in trouble like that.”

“Even though I made you angry by coming to see you in the first place, and then disregarding your suggestions.”

Good to know his urgent directives were only suggestions to her. No, he couldn’t be sarcastic now. “I would certainly never leave you in trouble like that. Not even if you truly upset me.” He hesitated before reaching out to her, putting his left hand awkwardly on her shoulder.

She froze at his touch, and he was afraid he’d upset her, reminded her of her attackers somehow, but then she leaned into it a little. “I’m grateful.” Her tone was funereal. Maybe a little bitter.

“You are… upset to have needed saving in the first place?” he asked carefully. The shift stick was slightly annoying in its placement; she was a little closer, now, he could slide his arm around her shoulders, but he couldn’t properly tug her over to lean into his side. He was surprised once again when she leaned over anyway, her white head almost nestled against his shoulder, leaning her elbow on the seat divider. It couldn’t have been terribly comfortable for her.

She paused for a long time. “Yes.” She paused again. “If I’d been in the military like you, I wouldn’t have needed saving.” It was muttered under her breath, barely audible.

“You don’t know that. You don’t have to join the military.”

Her shoulders hunched, tense again. “Maybe I do! You’ve done so much, within it and after it, and I… I’m – useless in comparison.”

He looked down at the top of her head. For a moment he couldn’t find the right words, and drank his tea while he tried to put them in the right order. They probably still weren’t the right words. “…Do you have something to prove?”

“Life is something to prove,” she muttered, still tense. “I ought to be stronger than this.”

“You are strong,” he said immediately, squeezing her shoulder. “There should be no doubt of that in your mind. When you speak, people listen. You have power and you wield it with judgement.”

“I need to be the other kind of strong, too,” she retorted.

“I saw their bruises. I know you can defend yourself. But you might allow me to defend you, too.”

Her head tilted as if to glance up at him. “Are you offering to come work for me?” Her voice was mostly innocently curious, but he thought he detected a sly undertone.

He hesitated. “I’m afraid I cannot. I owe Mr. Baras too much to simply quit out of the blue.”

“I’ll pay you double.”

He half-chuckled. “I know.”

Although he couldn’t see her face from this angle, he could imagine her pout. “Fine, you win. For now. I’ll allow you to take me home, however.”

‘ _My place or yours?_ ‘ popped into his head and he quashed it firmly. “As you wish.” But she was still leaning against his arm. “I’m afraid it will be difficult to drive like this.”

“Should I sit on your lap instead?”

 _Oh god_. At least she was feeling better. “Please do up your seatbelt, Miss Volkova. I gather you like to drive quickly.”

As she withdrew from his proximity – and he missed her warmth – she turned towards him for the first time since she’d got in the car, and her eyes were gleaming. “Step on it, Quinn.”

“Ah, Mr. Quinn.” Mr. Baras welcomed him into his office the next morning, part of his daily routine. “I heard you had a little adventure last night! Well done on rescuing the Volkova girl.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“Good PR, and now Volkov might owe us a favour if we ask for it right. Nothing new for you today; anything to report?”

“No, sir.”

“Dismissed, then.”

As Quinn left the office, he couldn’t help a strange feeling that Mr. Baras had been somehow… disappointed?


	3. Downfall

He got a text from her a few days later after work. She’d acquired his number a few weeks before, though she hadn’t made much use of it up to this point.

_may have answers to recent situation. thought you’d want to know_

_What sort of answers?_ he texted back.

_don’t know yet. meet me at 221b baker st tmo after work_

_ps sherlock holmes looks like you lol_

He’d heard vaguely of the place; some private eye worked there out of his flat. He went straight there after work as she’d requested.

Her gold Porsche was pulled up carelessly by the curb; he parked a few spaces behind it and found the right door.

“Ah, here he is,” she said as he entered the room upstairs, where a tall, thin man slouched, bored, in an armchair. “Well, then, what did you find?”

“That corporate politics are horribly boring,” complained the man, who did vaguely resemble Quinn, with dark hair – though rumpled – and high cheekbones. “I need your phone.” He held out his hand to Quinn.

“Why?” Quinn asked, on his guard.

Mr. Holmes rolled his eyes. “Because I strongly suspect you were used as bait. Isn’t it obvious? Someone – or everyone, it’s desperately obvious – knows this woman stalks you out of her lust for you, and arranged for assailants to be waiting for her as she did so.” Quinn blushed, but Miss Volkova only snorted softly. “The last step is, obviously, to determine how they knew where you were, since you don’t routinely visit that or any bar.”

“How do you know all this?” Quinn demanded. “Why should I believe you?”

Mr. Holmes sighed. “If I told you, you’d tell me ‘anyone could figure that out’; so why doesn’t everyone figure that out? Just give me your phone.”

He slowly handed it over to the man, wondering how his phone meant he could be used as bait.

“As I thought,” Mr. Holmes said, handing it back after only a few seconds. “Your work app sends your GPS coordinates to your security office constantly.”

Quinn frowned, alarmed. “I’ve set it to not do that outside of work.”

Holmes snorted. “And apps always do what you tell them to, with your complete knowledge, do they?”

Point. He’d have to find someone to fix that; that was a breach of his privacy, among other things. “Are you saying that someone at RVGR was monitoring my location and using it to attack Miss Volkova?”

“Do keep up,” Holmes said. “I’d have to check your office to be certain, but how many people have access to that computer?”

“I do, and Pierce, and Mr. Baras,” Quinn said. “The door is locked with an electronic passkey and I haven’t registered any unauthorized access.” He needed to go review the logs, maybe even check the cameras to see if someone else had let a third party into the room.

“Who is Pierce?” Miss Volkova demanded.

“Brandon Pierce, my second,” Quinn answered. “He’s an insubordinate jackass, but he’s diligent and loyal. I… I trust him.”

“Good,” she said. “He wouldn’t be my first suspect anyway.”

“Obviously,” Mr. Holmes said.

Mr. Baras? “Why would Baras do such a thing?” Quinn asked, completely mystified.

Miss Volkova gave him a withering glance. “Weakness is rewarded with failure. Surely you noticed the dip in Kuatech’s value after the incident. Had it continued…” had her abduction been complete… “it would have been far, far worse.” She gave him a slightly mocking smile. “You not only saved the damsel in distress, but her fortune as well.”

He blinked at her. He had nothing to say to that.

“This isn’t proof, you realize,” Mr. Holmes said. “Inadmissible in court. ‘Oh, your honour, people might have been looking at my phone and stalking my stalker!’” He snorted again. “Even if you find evidence, it’s circumstantial. The sad truth of the matter is, the police won’t turn up anything, so if I don’t finish this investigation, the British public are in danger. Ugh. Can’t you make it more interesting?”

“You’ll be compensated for your work, but I think I can manage things from here,” Miss Volkova said calmly. “Your best guess is Mr. Baras?”

“It’s not a guess,” Mr. Holmes said, annoyed. “Yes.”

“Thank you,” she said coolly, and stalked away towards the stairs.

Holmes eyed her thoughtfully. “Whatever you’re going to do…”

“Will be completely legal,” she said without turning.

“Not that I would stop you,” Holmes said, and she chuckled as she left.

Quinn nodded somewhat awkwardly to Holmes, who ignored him, and followed her.

He caught up to her outside, at her car. “What are you going to do?”

She gave him a thin smile as she gracefully sank into the low, reclining driver’s seat of the Porsche. “You’ll be seeing me again tomorrow.” She closed the door, and the tires squealed briefly as she accelerated hard down the street.

He did see her the next day, marching purposefully into RVGR’s main headquarters. He met her at the front desk. “I assume you’re here to see Mr. Baras.”

“Not so hard to figure out, I would think,” she said. “Would you be so good as to take me to him?”

“I don’t believe he’s busy for the next hour,” he said. “I’ll escort you there.”

It didn’t seem Mr. Baras was at all surprised by her sudden and emotionally violent intrusion into his office. “Akuliina, dear, to what do I owe the pleasure?”

“You sent those men after me,” Miss Volkova said haughtily.

Mr. Baras looked confused for a moment. “Do you mean the abduction attempt recently? I assure you, I’m as shocked as you that anyone would do such a thing-”

“Oh, please,” she interrupted him, her expression darkening to thunder – briefly. Quinn recalled her fury during the incident and restrained a shiver. “You have no idea what I felt.”

For a moment Baras looked startled, then his expression smoothed. “I understand. But really, I had nothing to do with it. Why do you accuse me of such a thing so bluntly?”

“I don’t have proper proof,” she said. “I don’t need proof. I need you to know that I know, and that _I’m not afraid of you_. And if you try anything like it again, I will destroy you.”

Baras laced his fingers together on the desk in front of him. “You’re quite a foolish young woman, Akuliina Volkova. Please don’t make such dramatic threats, it could be bad for your father. Quinn, please escort this young lady to an unused office and ensure that she remains there. I’d like to speak with her more later, but right now I’m very busy.”

Her lip curled. “As am I. Your newest attempt at abduction is pathetically transparent.”

“Quinn, if you would.”

Quinn hesitated. If she was correct, that would make him party to another abduction attempt.

She rolled her eyes. “Right, let’s get on with it. Baras, you have fifteen minutes before I decide this isn’t worth my time.”

“My work won’t be concluded in that time.”

“Then you won’t find me in that room.”

“I’m sure Quinn will take care of it,” Baras said, with a glance that ordered Quinn to restrain her by whatever means necessary.

Quinn bowed stiffly, uncomfortably, and gestured to Miss Volkova. “This way, Miss.”

There was an unused office one floor down, furnished comfortably – it had been the office of an upper manager who had been fired recently. She turned to him with an impish smile as he closed and locked the door behind him. “And now we’re alone. I’ll have you know that was the only reason I gave him fifteen minutes to begin with. I have no doubts about him anymore.”

 _Fifteen minutes isn’t long enough if impropriety is what you had in mind_ , he thought, and slapped that part of his brain for being so inappropriate, but said aloud: “You really think this is another kidnapping attempt? I wouldn’t be so dishonourable.”

“I never said it was a good kidnapping attempt,” she said. “But I wouldn’t be surprised if you’re ordered away in a moment, leaving others to guard me. And perhaps I shall disappear after that.” She smirked. “Though not without leaving more bruises behind me.”

He wondered how much strength she’d needed to project that air of cocky nonchalance. “I will take responsibility for you while you are here.”

Her gaze softened a little. “Thank you, Quinn.”

His radio beeped in his ear. “What? …No, I’m busy. …No. I’ll assign Pierce to take care of it. …I said no, Jillins. Deal with it. …One more word from you, sir, and you’re fired.”

Miss Volkova’s gaze was knowing.

“So,” she said a minute later, her voice dropping to a purr, “there’s just you, me, and a lot of very comfortable furniture in here.” She stepped towards him, hips swaying, eyes half-lidded, and he swallowed and took a step back. “You’re sure you don’t want to make use of it?”

“Miss Volkova, this is highly improper.” And if Baras came in while they were… engaged in any way, even if she only kissed him… not that he would come in, if Miss Volkova was correct about Baras’s intentions, but there was always the chance…

She raised an eyebrow as she backed him against the door, one hand reaching up to rest against his chest, playing with his tie. “Is that your only objection?”

 _Oh god_. Why did she have to be so beautiful, with those bedroom eyes gleaming gold, and that thrilling soft voice, and a faint scent of lavender? And normally he _liked_ women backing him into things. “You’re putting me in a very awkward position, Miss.”

“Good heavens, we’re alone, you could call me Akuliina once in a while,” she said mildly. “So you’re quite certain, then?”

“This isn’t the time or the place to be considering such things,” he said. His internal objections were weaker than usual. He liked her – he was attracted to her – even if she was a young flirt and lost interest in him as rapidly as she’d begun, even if it meant set-backs in his future, if she approached him under the right circumstances… he didn’t think he’d say no.

From the sly smile on her lips, she’d put that thought together as well. “Well, I suppose I shall see you in later, then.”

“But the-” _the door’s locked_ , he was going to say, but she grabbed his arm and gave him a shove in such a way that he stumbled forward, giving her the time to swipe the lock with the passcard – when had she lifted it from his pocket? – yank the door open, and dart into the hallway. She wasn’t wearing heels today, he noticed belatedly. Had it been fifteen minutes? It had been fifteen minutes exactly.

Should he stop her? Should he help her if other members of his team tried to stop her?

She’d reached the emergency stairs, turned to blow him a teasing kiss, and slipped inside as he remained in the doorway.

Review of the security footage later revealed her knocking down two guards waiting for her at the bottom of the thirty-two flights of stairs, before joining the main hall to reception and out of the building.

Baras had been angry when he found that Miss Volkova had escaped, and had semi-seduced Quinn in the process, but Quinn found that he didn’t mind. Keeping her there against her will would have been wrong, even if her suspicions weren’t completely founded.

“Papa,” she said, storming into her father’s office, “I am going to destroy RVGR.”

Her father, as white-haired as she was, only raised an eyebrow. “That’s quite the task.”

“Baras is behind the attack on me. I have no real proof, or he’d be in _less_ trouble. I went to see him and he all but admitted it, tried to get security to abduct me again.” She clenched her fists. “But I don’t need proof. I don’t need the police.”

Her father steepled his fingers. “Pray tell, then? What is it you need, darling?”

She let her lips curl into the beginning of a snarl. “I want to ruin him – as he tried to do to us, to me, but without resorting to such base methods. I want to choke the life out of him economically. I want to watch everything he’s built crumble and slip away, and _know_ – though he have no proof on me as I have on him – that _I_ am the one responsible for his downfall. Even if it takes a year or two.”

He smiled calmly. “I have been attempting to acquire more of his share of the market while still maintaining healthy competition. However, I’ll believe you when you say he’s behind that horrid attack. Of course I will do everything possible to help you bring him low. Is there anything in particular you’d like of his?”

Of course she only had one answer for that. “His head of security, the one who saved me. I want him working for me if at all possible.” It would most certainly be possible. Quinn had some strange loyalty towards this honourless man, but there had to be a limit. Even if she had to wait a while. Quinn wouldn’t follow Baras completely into ruin. Not when his faith in him had been shaken. She said as much to her father.

“Consider it done,” her father said, with a knowing smile. She rolled her eyes subtly.

“Thank you, Papa.”

It was a fall that took many months; summer turned to winter and winter was melting into a dour English spring. Quinn had stopped seeing Miss Volkova nearly as frequently in person, though she still texted him now and then. On one hand, he missed her teasing, missed her distraction even as he was thankful to be able to focus on his work. On the other hand, he saw her more on TV, both on the news and on talk shows.

And slowly, his boss looked more and more stressed and angry. Quinn knew the stock value of RVGR was going down unnaturally quickly

“How is she doing it?” he heard him grumble more than once. “What secret influence does she have that I do not?”

It was not long before he received the first offer of employment from Kuatech – from Anotin Volkov, no doubt at the behest of his daughter. It would pay almost twice what he was currently making. He didn’t take it. He had his doubts about Mr. Baras now, and it seemed certain that RVGR was doomed eventually, but he was loyal to a fault. He hoped Miss Volkova would understand.

“Haven’t you done enough?” he asked, though, the next time he saw her.

“No.” She glanced at him with a coolly raised eyebrow. “He will never feel the fear and humiliation I felt. This is the closest approximation I can create without stooping to his level.”

She probably had a point. Her implacable drive was admirable, in a way. “Have there been any more attempts on… you?”

She chuckled. “Oh, yes, several. But I’m much more careful, now. Short of assassinating me outright, he won’t catch me unguarded again. Huzzah for Russian paranoia.” Her eyes were sly. “Are you sure you don’t want to come help protect me?”

That almost swayed him. “I… No, Miss. Not… not yet.”

She smiled broadly. “All right.”

Two days later, five of his own men were arrested trying to break into Kuatech.

He didn’t know what to do. Everything was coming apart, even his own little niche in the system. Being in the military had never been so confusing, even if he could quite easily recall the feeling of helplessness having to deal with General Broysc. But… circumstances were quite different. He began an intensive investigation into his entire security team – and ended up firing three-quarters of them as dishonourable or untrustworthy. Only Pierce and a handful of others were left.

In the middle of rehiring and reorganizing, the second offer of employment came. This time, Mr. Baras called him into his office.

“You may as well accept,” he told Quinn in a heavy voice. “They can provide for you better for I can at this point. I may even not be able to provide for you much longer, my boy.”

“But sir,” Quinn began.

Baras held up a hand for silence and Quinn obeyed. “There’s not much use in pretending otherwise. I’ll be trying to regroup, of course, and I’ll let you know if there’s a chance you may return… not that you will probably wish to. She _is_ a pretty young thing.”

Quinn tried not to flush, either at the insinuation or the fact he’d referred to Akuliina as a ‘thing’, pretty and young notwithstanding. “I’ll at least finish the reorganization of security. Pierce will take over for me.”

Mr. Baras seemed pleased.

She was excited to work with him; he knew her well enough to see it. He was becoming accustomed to her cool, elegant mystique and how to read it, but it was still adorable how happy she was to have him around. For she always wanted him around; she claimed him as her personal guard and brought him with her everywhere. It was a little complicated for him; on one hand, he was pretty much always working, and trying not to let her distract him from his work. On the other hand, he was used to working hard, and if he was always working at least the work was relatively easy compared to what he’d been used to. Too, he appreciated his employer’s attraction to him, even if he didn’t allow himself to hint at his reciprocation. Yet. Perhaps someday.

When Pierce texted him a few weeks later to say he’d been laid off as well, Quinn wondered if he ought to be alarmed; there was no one left at RVGR he trusted to be steady. But at his recommendation, she hired Pierce as well. Pierce grumbled at working under Quinn again, but not as much as he could have.

And none too soon, as the night after found all three of them and Jaesa Willsaam fleeing from masked men down the back alleys of London.

“I’d better drop back, see if I can’t hold them off long enough for the ladies to escape,” Pierce said. Miss Willsaam bounded at his side; both she and Miss Volkova were fast and fit. Probably capable of fighting if it came to that. Quinn wouldn’t let it come to that.

“That’s tactically unsound,” Quinn reminded him. “No matter what position you take, you’ll be overwhelmed, and it seems likely that they’ll kill you.”

“Well, got any bright ideas, boss?” Pierce asked sarcastically.

“As a matter of fact…” He looked around for the next fire escape. “If we go up the fire escape fast enough, we can take a shortcut. If I remember well… Can you reach it?” he asked Miss Willsaam, who was taller. He’d have to boost Miss Volkova.

Miss Willsaam’s stride didn’t check as she changed course for the fire escape, jumping with all her might – she only just made it. Pierce grabbed her shins and shoved her upwards – and then their pursuers came around the corner.

There was no time to get Miss Volkova to safety. There was a steel dumpster nearby, and he scooped her up and tossed her in, slamming the lid on her as she screeched in indignation. “ _Quinn!!_ Put me d- _N_ _ot there!!_ ”

“Sorry,” he apologized, taking up a position behind another dumpster, taking aim at the nearest masked man. How was this happening? These things oughtn’t to happen in peaceful countries. Across the alley, Pierce had also found cover. Above, Miss Willsaam had skittered up the fire escape, and instead of leaving, was finding things to throw. Foolish girl! But brave.

The lid of the dumpster behind him creaked open. “Akuliina!” he snapped. “Keep your _head down!_ ” He was only a little surprised when she obeyed.

Then the alleys were full of police, complete with helicopters overhead.

A tall slender figure in a long dark coat waited at the entrance of their alley. “Mr. Holmes!” Miss Volkova exclaimed. He nodded to her briefly.

“Just finishing up here,” he said. “Thanks for playing bait again. I don’t think you’ll have too much more excitement after this.”

“But I like excitement,” she said, smirking at him, and he shrugged before moving on to speak with a policeman. Pierce and Miss Willsaam were emerging from the alley as well, unscathed. She turned to Quinn. “You were so forceful back there. I liked that too. But you’re very lucky that dumpster was full of cardboard.”

“I apologize,” he said, bowing his head slightly. “I lost my composure. It won’t happen again. I only wanted your safety.”

“It had better happen again,” she said firmly. “I like when you use my first name.”

He… didn’t know what to say to that. It went against everything he held to be professional. Though… his mind flashed back to a long, late car drive, soft words whispered in darkness, a warm weight on his arm almost nestled against his shoulder… If anything like that came up again, perhaps he could call her by her name. “I… will… consider it.”

She smiled.

Over the coming months, Mr. Baras was tried and found guilty of a myriad of crimes, of which attempted kidnapping and assault was only the tip of the iceberg.

Kuatech bought out RVGR, and Miss Volkova took it over personally.

She stayed to the end of the celebratory gala, until all the guests had gone home and staff were beginning to clean up, before drifting casually over to Quinn, who’d remained in her background the entire evening of course. “Excellent work as usual.” It seemed there were no final reprisals, that she was at last triumphant against her adversary – not that he could do much from jail, but she wouldn’t put it past him, so she’d been on her guard all evening anyway. Under the same grey dress she’d worn the first time they’d met, she was wearing flats, ready to run or fight as need be.

“Thank you, Miss – Akuliina.” He was relaxed enough to give her a slight smile. God, his eyes were exquisite.

She gave him a sidelong smile in return. “You should stay over tonight.”

He blinked and blushed and appeared to be fumbling for words, but she forestalled him. “If you will, meet me upstairs.” She glided away towards the elevator without a backwards glance.

She was halfway from the elevator to her rooms when she heard his quick, purposeful steps behind her from the direction of the emergency stairs. She turned at the last moment and then she was in his arms, his mouth was on hers, her arms were sliding around his neck as she pressed herself closer to him. A thrilling jolt of adrenaline flashed through her chest and she wondered how long it had been since a mere kiss had excited her so. This man – her man – Quinn – Malavai – he was special, the only person she truly cared about. She was going to hold on to him.

He’d backed her into the wall, his lips still devouring hers, tongues twined together, their bodies pressed tightly together as it was possible to be. A fire was building in her and she was growing lightheaded. When he backed off enough that they could both gasp for air, she jerked her head in the direction of her room. He nodded and stepped back, and she seized his tie and dragged him, unprotesting, after her.


End file.
